AgriAssurance Program — Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

This grant provides a structured approach to funding, designed to support the development and implementation of assurance systems in Canadian agriculture and agri-food sectors. It involves cost-sharing between Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the recipient with specific contribution limits.

• Maximum AAFC contribution normally does not exceed $50,000 per project.
• Total funding for multiple projects under this component is capped at $100,000.
• AAFC provides up to 50% of eligible project costs.
• The recipient must provide a minimum of 50% of eligible costs as cash contributions; in-kind contributions are not eligible for this component.

Eligibility for this program requires applicants to meet specific criteria related to their organizational profile and project focus.

• You must be a for-profit organization.
• Eligible for-profit organizations include partnerships, corporations, co-operatives (for-profit), and communes (for-profit).
• Indigenous organizations or individuals that are First Nation, Métis, or Inuit are also eligible.
• Your operations must be within the agriculture, agri-food, and agri-products industry, including the fish and seafood industry.
• Your business must be directly involved in growing, harvesting, processing, or transforming products.
• Your project must be aimed at meeting market-specific certification requirements and must be for initial certifications only.
• You must have up to 500 full-time equivalent employees.
• Your annual revenues must not exceed $100 million.
• You must be a legal entity capable of entering into legally binding agreements.

Who is eligible?

The AgriAssurance Program for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) targets for-profit organizations operating in the agriculture, agri-food, and agri-products industry, including the fish and seafood industry, that are directly involved in growing, harvesting, processing, or transforming their products. Eligible applicants must have up to 500 full-time equivalent employees, and their annual revenues should not exceed $100 million. Additionally, they must be legal entities capable of entering into legally binding agreements and aiming to meet market-specific certification requirements for the first time. Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) individuals or organizations that are for-profit, as well as partnerships, corporations, co-operatives, or communes, are included as potential eligible applicants.

Who is not eligible

The eligibility criteria and restrictions in the given context do not explicitly exclude any particular types of companies or industries. The focus is on those that meet specific eligibility criteria such as being a for-profit organization and operating within eligible sectors.

Eligible expenses

The grant allows for a range of eligible expenses directly related to the project activities and goals.

• Salaries and benefits for staff executing project work plan activities, including MERCs, EI, CPP/QPP, vacation pay, and benefits.
• Professional or specialized contracted services such as inspection, consultancy, financial auditing, environmental assessments, and interpretation or translation services.
• Travel expenses integral to the project, including per diems for accommodations, meals, incidentals, and transportation (e.g., air, rail, and vehicle transportation).
• Costs for eligible carbon offset credits from verified vendors adhering to internationally agreed standards.
• Other direct project costs like shipping, conference and registration fees, marketing costs related to producing materials/documents, and translation services.

The evaluation and selection of projects for this grant are based on specific criteria to ensure that the projects meet the overall objectives and deliver targeted outcomes effectively.

• The application is complete and the proposed project is eligible.
• The proposed activities and outcomes support the program objectives.
• All funding sources for the proposed project are identified.
• The capacity of the applicant to deliver the project, considering resources and timelines.
• The eligibility, reasonableness, and necessity of the proposed activities and costs.

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• The program ends on March 31, 2028, meaning all project activities should be completed by then.
• Funding is available on a cost-sharing basis, with AAFC covering up to 50% of eligible project costs.
• All project costs are only eligible if incurred after April 1, 2023, and not before the application is deemed complete by AAFC.
• While in-kind contributions are not eligible towards your cost-share, they can still contribute towards project success.
• M-30 legislation may apply to applicants based in Quebec, requiring compliance during the application process.
• Intellectual property resulting from funded projects generally remains with the applicant, though certain rights may be granted to AAFC.
• Travel costs are structured with specific eligible rates and methods for reimbursement, subject to outlined limitations.